Monthly archive
5 headlines
Source-linked reporting
futurity.org
The article reports that Antonio Stradivari and others usedChemical treatments such as borax, zinc, copper, and alum, along with lime water, on violin wood to combat worm infestations, which researchers believe contributed to the instruments’ distinctive sound. Joseph Nagyvary discusses the idea, supported by an American Chemical Society review and new Angewandte Chemie findings.
classical-music.com
Vilde Frang will loan the 1734 ‘Rode’ Guarneri del Gesù violin, procured with the help of violin dealer J&A Beare and the Stretton Society, on a long-term basis. The instrument was created by Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri, known as del Gesù, and has previously been played by Pierre Rode, Norbert Brainin, and Kyung Wha Chung.
sciencealert.com
The ScienceAlert article discusses how Stradivari and Guarneri violins may have been treated with a proprietary wood-processing method involving chemicals such as borax, zinc and copper sulfates, alum, and lime water to preserve wood and tweak acoustics. The study identifies these substances as part of the treatment mix and notes the treatments were applied through the wood, not just on the surface.
richmond-news.com
Valerie Leung reports that Richmond-born violinist Royce Rich owns a 264-year-old Lorenzo Carcassi violin from 1757, loaned to him in 2015, and that the instrument was stolen on public transit in Toronto four hours after his final recording for his debut solo album Short Stories.
thetimes.com
The article reports on violinist Janine Jansen obtaining about a dozen Stradivari violins for a new film, with insights shared by Richard Morrison.